Pump-valve cover



1962 w. J. REDMAN 3,051,348

PUMP-VALVE COVER Filed March 28, 1960 IN VEN 17/61/44! J. P5 41V UnitedSt 3,9515% Patented Aug. 28, 19fi2 free 3,051,348 PUMP-VALVE COVERWilliam J. Redman, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to United States SteelCorporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 28, 1960, Ser. No.18,181 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-39) This invention relates to an improvedvalve cover intended especially for slush pumps used in well-drilling.

A conventional slush pump valve (intake or discharge) includes a potwhich houses a fixed seat and a movable disk. A cap or cover is mountedover the end of this pot. Usually a number of stud bolts and nuts (six,eight or ten) are used to fix the cover to the pot. This arrangement hasdisadvantages that removal or installation of the cover is unduly timeconsuming by reason of the large number of nuts which must be handled,and further that some of the nuts may be tighter than others so that theload is distributed unequally. Unequal loads may cock the cover andcause early failure of gaskets. It is also known to provide ascrew-threaded engagement of the cover with the valve pot, but previousthreaded covers could be tightened to an extent that the gasket iscrushed or extruded. Vibration of the pump also tends to loosen athreaded cover.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvedscrew-threaded valve cover in which the extent of tightening iscontrolled and which is locked against loosening caused by vibration.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screwthreaded valvecover which carries an integral spring lip engageable with a valve potfor controlling the extent of tightening and also locking the coveragainst accidental loosening.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, preferred forms of which areshown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a slush pump valve equippedwith a cover constructed in accordance with my invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing a modification.

FIGURE 1 shows a valve pot formed integrally with a conventional slushpump housing 12. The valve furnishes communication between the chamberwithin the pump housing and a chamber 13. The valve can be either anintake valve or a discharge valve, since the two commonly are ofidentical construction. The valve pot houses a fixed seat 14 and avertically movable disk 15 thereabove, both of which can be of anystandard or desired construction and hence are not described in detail.Above chamber 13 the valve pot has an integral internal shoulder 16 andinternal screw threads 17. The valve pot has an annular upper face 18and the vertical dimension between this face and shoulder 16 iscarefully controlled.

An externally screw-threaded valve cover 19 constructed in accordancewith my invention is engaged with threads 17 in the valve pot 10. Thiscover has an external shoulder 20 which confronts shoulder 16 on thepot. A sealing gasket 21 is compressed between shoulders 16 and 20. Aconventional guide 22 for the valve disk 15 is fixed to the lower faceof the cover. At its upper end the cover has an integral upstandingannular wall 23, which contains diametrically opposed openings 24.

A bar can be inserted through these openings for turning the cover totighten or loosen it. A plate 25 is received in the bottom of the spacedefined by wall 23 to prevent accumulation of dirt in the upper portionof the cover.

The cover also includes an integral annular horizontal flange 26 locatedabove its screw-threaded portion. The circumferential edge of flange 26curves downwardly to form a depending lip 27. The vertical dimensionbetween the bottom face of the lip and shoulder 20 is accuratelycontrolled. When the cover is tightened in the valve pot, lip 27 engagesthe upper face 18 of the pot and thus limits the extent to which thegasket 21 can be compressed. Flange 2.6 provides a limited spring actionwhich frictionally locks the cover against accidental loosening causedby vibration.

FIGURE 2 shows a modification in which the cover is formed of two parts,a plug 28 and a follower 29. The external shoulder 20 is formed on theplug and the guide 22 is mounted thereon. The upper face of the plugcarries a handle 30 for lifting the plug when the follower is removed.In all other respects the construction is similar to that alreadydescribed.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that my invention affords avalve cover of simple construction and which facilitates installationand removal. There is no likelihood of uneven pressure on diiferentparts of the sealing gasket, and the cover is frictionally lockedagainst accidental loosening.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is apparent that other modifications may arise. Therefore,I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a valve which includes a pot having an internal shoulder, internalscrew threads above said shoulder and a flat annular upper face abovesaid threads, and a sealing gasket bearing against said shoulder, thecombination with said pot of a cover having external screw threadsengaging said internal threads and an external shoulder confronting saidinternal shoulder and bearing against said gasket, said cover includingan integral flange overlying said upper face and spaced therefrom and alip depending from the circumferential edge of said flange and having aflat bottom face which bears against said upper face to limit the extentto which said gasket is compressed as the cover is tightened, saidflange providing a spring action whereby engagement of said faces lockssaid cover in said pot against accidental loosening.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the vertical dimensionsof said pot between said upper face and said internal shoulder and ofsaid cover between said bottom face and said external shoulder areaccurate 1y formed to compress said gasket when said faces engage underthe spring action of said flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,630,761 Prime May 31, 1927 1,878,327 Rimmelspacher et al. Sept. 20,1932 1,992,793 Welter Feb. 26, 1935 2,417,703 Risk Mar. 18, 19472,910,267 Holby Oct. 27, 1959

